


Calm Be The Night

by latias_likes_pizza



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Pairings added as needed, a 'what if' explored, flangst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-09 01:59:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11094528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/latias_likes_pizza/pseuds/latias_likes_pizza
Summary: A lot of Ardyn's plan - and heck, even Bahamut's it seems - rides on Noctis being the last of his line.What if that wasn't the case?Serena Lucis Caelum, younger sister of Noctis, and perhaps, one of the best chances at changing things.(A 'what if' explored and an excuse for sibling fluff/angst)





	1. The early days

**Author's Note:**

> I have a folder on my laptop called 'self-indulgent CRAP' and this somehow originated in that folder?
> 
> I just really wanted to explore what would happen if Noctis had a younger sibling. Not the first, probably not the last.
> 
> This work is dedicated to my Discord buddies for helping me map it out and giving me ideas and generally being the supportive angst family they are. Love y'all!
> 
> (there will be pairings later on but i kinda want them to be a surprise [read: those who really know me can already guess one] so i'll tag them later)

_Noctis – Age 5/6_

It was just after New Year when Mommy and Daddy told him the big news. Mommy was pregnant and she was going to have a baby. Noctis would have a little brother or sister. He was _ecstatic_. He’d have a new friend! Somebody else to play with! It was gonna be so great, he was gonna be an awesome big brother, it was gonna be really fun.

He asked when the baby would be born and when he’d get to play with them. Mommy and Daddy smiled funny at him and told him that the baby would probably come after his birthday and he’d have to remember that they’d be small and not ready to play with him for a while yet, just like little Iris.

The elation wore off after that. He was still excited, but why did it have to take so long! His birthday was _ages_ away and the baby was coming _after_? Too long! And it was a shame that they’d be too small to play with. Iris was still too small to play with and Noctis was scared that it would take even longer for his baby sibling to be ready to play with him.

But afterwards, Mommy took him the Royal doctor’s office. The doctor put something on Mommy’s tummy and then moved a weird stick over it. On the doctor’s screen, a small blurry shape appeared.

“That’s your sibling,” Mommy said, pointing at the screen. “They’re still very small inside my tummy, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” Noctis said. “When are you going to get big like Auntie Viola did?”

Mommy laughed. “Soon.”

And she did. She grew bigger and bigger. And after a few months, if Noctis put his hand on her tummy, he could feel the baby kicking. It hurt Mommy but she said it was a good hurt because it meant the baby was okay. Sometime Noctis would talk to the baby. He told them that he was their big brother and he couldn’t wait to play with them.

Finally, a month after his birthday, soon after new baby things were brought into the Citadel, something happened.

Mommy was sitting in the garden when she suddenly went funny. She told a staff member she was in ‘layber’ or something. But Noctis was taken to his room and Mommy went to the doctors. Noctis’s nanny told him that the baby was about to arrive and they wouldn’t have to wait any more. Noctis was so excited. After a few hours of racing around his room, he convinced his nanny to take him to the doctors.

“Why’s Mommy hurting?” Noctis asked as soon as he heard the shouting.

“It’s hard for mommies to give birth,” his nanny said. “And it hurts. But when it’s over, the mommy is happy because the new baby is with her and everyone else.”

“Did it hurt when she gave birth to me?” Noctis asked.

His nanny laughed and nodded. “Yes, little Prince. It did. But she was so happy afterwards. Mommies are strong like that.”

The shouting continuing for a while until it suddenly stopped. Somebody started crying.

“Is that the baby? Why are they crying?” Noctis asked, tugging on his nanny’s sleeve.

“It is. They’re crying because they’ve just gone from somewhere safe and warm and quiet into somewhere loud and busy,” she replied. “It’s okay for them to cry right now. We just have to wait a little while the doctors make sure they’re okay.”

After a few minutes, somebody else was crying and there was a lot of noise in the room. A doctor stepped out and saw Noctis and his nanny. He walked over and said a funny word that made his nanny gasp and suddenly hug him. Noctis tried to wriggle out of her arms. He wanted to see the baby! He was about to demand this when Daddy stepped out the room.

“Could I talk to Noctis alone? Anastasia, you may help in there,” he said, sounding tired.

“Daddy? Why are you crying?” Noctis asked, picking up on the tears in his eyes.

Daddy bent down and hugged Noctis. “Do you remember that little bird we found? The one who was hurt and died?”

“Yes,” Noctis replied.

“And do you remember what Mommy and I said about life and death?” Daddy asked.

“Yes.”

“Noctis… Mommy’s… Mommy’s gone now, son. She’s with the Astrals. She’s dead.”

Noctis thought about this for a second before bursting into tears and wailing. This meant no more Mommy. No more of her lullabies and hugs. No more of her dancing with him in the hallway. No more Mommy.

“Sometimes things go wrong with birth,” Daddy said. “And it’s nobody’s fault. It just happened.” He pulled back and looked Noctis in the eyes. “Just before, Mommy asked something. She asked me and you to be there for each other and to be there for the baby. We have to be strong for her, okay? But it’s okay for you to cry, always remember that.”

“T-t-the baby’s okay?” Noctis asked, wiping his eyes.

“Yes, she is,” Daddy said. “She’s a little girl and her name is Serena. Would you like to see her?”

Noctis nodded. Daddy knocked on the door and spoke to a doctor. A minute later, she appeared with a bundle in her arms. Daddy took it from her and lowered the bundle down so Noctis could see. His sister. Serena. She was an angry red thing with squinty eyes and black hair that was even _messier_ than his. She had tiny, tiny hands and when Noctis touched one, she tightly curled her fingers around his. He gasped and despite how sad he was, he smiled. She was _cute._

* * *

 

_Noctis – Age 6   Serena – Age 0_

It hit him a week later when Serena was moved into the nursery near Daddy’s ~~and Mommy’s~~ room. Despite everything Daddy had said, Serena took Mommy away. If Serena hadn’t been born, Mommy wouldn’t have died. If Serena hadn’t been born, Noctis would still have Mommy.

And Serena cried too much. Noctis didn’t cry that much when he was a baby (at least, he didn’t think he had). Iris didn’t cry that much and she still _was_ a baby.

So Noctis wouldn’t go to the nursery to visit Serena. He wouldn’t smile when he saw her and he’d ignore her when she started crying. He wouldn’t hold her and he certainly wouldn’t sit in any photos with her, not without being bribed with sweets first. Daddy tried to tell Noctis again that it wasn’t Serena’s fault but Noctis didn’t listen to him. As far as he was concerned, it was Serena’s fault. He wasn’t going to like her, never.

Things continued like this for a few months. Around Winter Solstice, they had a private Solstice dinner with Uncle Clarus and Auntie Viola and Gladdy and Iris, like they usually did. Only this time, Mommy wasn’t there, which made it sad. Serena was there and Noctis couldn’t help but feel grumpy. He scowled at Daddy when he asked for Noctis to hold Serena for a photo. He only did it when Daddy promised that he could have as much chocolate cake as Gladdy later.

Serena was placed into his arms with Auntie Viola adjusting his arms so that he could hold her better. Noctis looked down at her and stuck his tongue out. Instead of crying, Serena smiled. She then laughed. Noctis forgot to feel angry at her for a few seconds. One of her tiny hands reached up to him and Noctis used his free hand to grab it. A camera clicked and the grown-ups were all cooing at them. Daddy took Serena back.

“See, she’s not that bad,” he said.

“Maybe,” Noctis mumbled.

“You should hold her more often,” Daddy said. “She’d smile at you more if you did.”

* * *

 

A few months later and Serena was learning to crawl. Daddy had made him come sit in the nursery and play with her. Noctis had held her a few times and she’d smiled at him some more. But Noctis wasn’t quite sure he wanted to play with her yet. She didn’t even play with proper toys. Just silly baby ones. Noctis absentmindedly rolled a few toy balls around and stuff like that, making Serena laugh.

“Look, Noctis, she’s trying to crawl,” Daddy said.

She was trying but was still halfway stuck on the bum shuffling stage. Noctis watched her with interest. She suddenly focussed on him and lifted herself up a bit more. Smiling, she crawled across towards him. Noctis didn’t mean to but he held his arms out and pulled Serena close to him when she’d reached him. She laughed as Noctis sat her on his lap and pulled a ball close by. She started hitting it, finding that immensely funny.

“Do you like Serena, Noct?” Daddy asked, watching them.

“I don’t know,” Noctis replied.

“You know, she is very cute,” Daddy said. Noctis nodded and Daddy sighed a little. “I miss Mommy too. I miss her every single day. But it wasn’t Serena’s fault. Mommy wanted us to be there for Serena.”

“But if she wasn’t here, then Mommy…”

“Mommy was so excited, remember? She didn’t know what was going to happen. Nobody did,” Daddy said. “And when Serena’s older, she’ll be sad too. She’ll never have a Mommy hug or listen to her sing a lullaby. We were so lucky to have had Mommy. But now we have Serena and the two of us have to protect her, okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going to be nice to Serena now?”

“Yeah. I guess she’s okay.”

To prove that he was going to be nice to her now, Noctis kissed the top of her head like he’d seen Daddy do. Serena looked up, smiled, made a cute baby noise, and tried to grab his nose.

* * *

 

_Noctis – Age 7    Serena – Age 1_

It was just after Serena’s birthday. Noctis was starting to play with her now, actually enjoying being around his baby sister. Sure, she did cry a lot still, but she smiled and laughed and babbled too. And now she was doing more cool stuff too! She could pull herself up things so she was standing and she could even walk a little with support! Soon she’d be able to walk, then run, then play properly! _And_ she’d started talking a little. She could say ‘Dada’ and ‘Noc’.

Today, Noctis was in the nursery with her and Daddy. He was playing with a yo-yo while Serena was using Daddy’s legs to pull herself up. She kept saying ‘Dada! Dada!’ before breaking off into babbles. Noctis watched her and gave her a little wave when she turned her head. Serena smiled and turned around a little. Noctis scooted a little closer.

“Noc! Noc, Noc, Noc!” Serena babbled.

She let go of Daddy and started to take a few halting steps towards Noctis. He smiled at her and held his arms out. Her steps were clumsy and she fell a few times, picking herself up immediately after. She kept calling out ‘Noc’ as she walked.

“Yeah Rena! I’m here!” Noctis said. “You can do it!”

“Noc!” Serena called out.

She giggled as she fell forwards into Noctis’s arms. He laughed as well, hugging her tight.

“You did it! You walked!” he said. “Dad! You saw that! She walked!”

“That she did,” Daddy replied. “She obviously had a goal she wanted to reach. Well done for encouraging her.”

“Serena’s the best,” Noctis said. He blew a raspberry on her tummy, making her laugh even more. “You’re awesome, Serena. You walked all by yourself!”

* * *

 

_Noctis – Age 8      Serena – Age 2_

“Picnic! Picnic wih Noct!” Serena said.

“Yeah, we went on a picnic,” Noctis replied. “What did we go and see?”

“Fie-ly!” Serena cried, squirming in her booster seat. “Saw fie-lys!”

They’d been for an evening picnic. While they’d been out, the fireflies had started to come out and Serena had been running around, trying to catch them in her hands. Now they were all tired out and driving back home. Noctis leaned his head against Miss Karine, the nanny watching over the two of them that day.

“We shoulda brought a bottle and caught some of the fireflies,” he said

“At least you can tell the King about them,” Karine replied. “I’m sure your father will be happy to hear about your day, Prince Noctis. It’s a shame he couldn’t make it today.”

“He doesn’t come to anything anymore,” Noctis said.

It was true; in the past few months Dad hadn’t been spending as much time with him or Serena. Something was going on and he wouldn’t tell Noctis and he’d spend days on end in the council room with Uncle Clarus and the rest of the council. Serena would start crying and asking for Dada now too which made it even worse because she was still just little. She needed Dad. Noctis needed Dad.

BOOM

An explosion suddenly wiped out the car in front of them. Their car and the over one in the entourage pulled over, with the other guards getting out. Karine unclipped Serena and she climbed into Noctis’s lap, pulling at his hair and laughing, unaware that the car on fire in front of them was a really bad thing. Noctis held her a little tighter as something emerged from behind the flames. A snake with a large woman’s body attached and six arms all wielding swords.

“A daemon?!” the driver exclaimed.

“What’s it doing here?” the guard asked.

“Have they broken the wall?” the driver said.

The guard turned around to the back. “Protect the Prin-!”

Smash.

Glass everywhere. Swords stabbing through the window. Serena screaming. Karine grabbing him and pushing him outside the car. Holding Serena. Inhuman noises. People screaming. Running. Couldn’t think. Too scared. Explosion. Heat at his back.

“ARRRRRGGH!”

Scream. Pain. Falling. Warm, wet, sticky. Karine on top. Serena screaming still. Squirming, trapped. Daemon in front.

“Daddy! Daddy! DADDY! WAN’ DADDY! NOCT! WAN’ DADDY!”

Swords being raised. Holding Serena. Blue light and the sound of metal. Men.

“Check for survivors!”

“DADDY!”

Men pulling him away from Karine. Holding onto Serena when they tried to pull her from him. Dad, standing by the flames, ethereal weapons flying past him and at the daemon. The daemon struggling against them. It screaming, growling. Serena crying.

“Noct! Noct! Wan’ Noct!”

A glowing axe, flying up and slashing the daemon’s face. Bandages were being wrapped around him. They’d finally pulled Serena away. Glowing weapons forcing the daemon off the cliff face. An eerie, inhuman scream.

“NOCTIS! SERENA!”

Dad’s face, above him, scared. It was getting hard to stay awake.

“Dad…dy…”

“Da…d…. R-Rena…”

“NOCT! Stay with me son! STAY WITH ME!”

Black.


	2. The Tenebrae trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis is hurt and the Lucis Caelums go to Tenebrae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have baby half-brothers who are two year olds i am experts in 2yo behaviour
> 
> Should I update We Will Be? Yes. Am i going to do it? Later. Probably.
> 
> JUST ENJOY YOUR FLANGST

** Chapter two – The Tenebrae trip **

_Noctis – Age 8   Serena – Age 2_

The journey to Tenebrae had been… difficult. Serena had gotten scared and confused and had cried for much of it. That was something she had been doing more since the attack, crying excessively. She clung to Noctis and wouldn’t sleep properly anymore, often waking up and crying. Noctis could relate to that. He had nightmares still.

“Go home,” she said, clinging to Noctis. “Go home Noct.”

Somebody was wheeling them out of the ship, Serena still sat on Noctis’s lap. Noctis didn’t really bother to look up at the beautiful landscapes surrounding them, or the impressive architecture.

“Welcome, King Regis, Prince Noctis, Princess Serena, and our Lucian friends.” A lady in beautiful robes was speaking.

“Thank you, Queen Sylva,” Dad replied.

Noctis tuned their conversation out and just hugged Serena when she got scared by all the adults swarming around them. Queen Sylva bent down to say something to them but Noctis ignored her. People were moving around and they were being wheeled into the palace. Somebody was talking about the history of the building.

Queen Sylva was talking to him again. “Your treatments should take three months at most. When they’re done, you’ll be back to walking and running like you were before.”

“Can you help Rena?” Noctis asked.

“I… I don’t think I can,” Queen Sylva replied. “Her nightmares and fear, they need somebody close by to help her know she is safe. You or your father. You would be best at helping her through her own trauma.”

As if to prove this point, Serena tried to burrow her head even further into Noctis’s chest. Dad took over wheeling them, taking them through the large palace. They eventually reached a room where a young blonde girl was standing. She bowed slightly as she saw them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Noctis, Princess Serena,” she said. “I am Lunafreya of House Fleuret.” She took a step forward. “Has your wound healed yet? Please, I ask that you rest if it still pains you.”

She smiled at Noctis. He looked away. “O-okay.”

“Introduce yourself son,” Dad said.

“I’m Noctis,” Noctis mumbled. “And this is Rena, but only I’m allowed to call her that.”

“I understand,” Lunafreya said. She bent down slightly. “Hello, Serena.”

Serena turned her head and stared at her.

“Girl,” she mumbled.

“I’m Luna. Here, would you like some chocolate?” Luna quickly ran to a drawer. She got out a bar of chocolate and broke off two pieces for Serena.

“Choc’ate?” Serena said.

“Here,” Luna said, holding her hand out.

Pulling away from Noctis, Serena reached for the chocolate. She shoved one piece in her mouth before holding the other up to Noctis’s mouth.

“Choc’ate Noct! Luna choc’ate!” she exclaimed.

Noctis took the chocolate and ate it. Serena giggled.

“Luna? More choc’ate?” she asked.

“You don’t need any more treats, little Princess,” Dad said.

“No!” Serena exclaimed. “More choc’ate wih Noct an’ Luna!”

Noctis laughed a little. So did Luna.

Maybe she was okay.

* * *

 

“Doggy!”

Serena was running around Luna’s room, chasing after Umbra and Pryna. The two dogs had been surprisingly welcome to the two-year-old chasing them around. Noctis supposed it was because they weren’t actually dogs; they were Messengers, smarter than the average dog. And they could probably tell that Serena was a princess or something like that.

“Would you two like to go outside?” Luna asked. “I’ve thought of something we can do.”

“Sure,” Noctis said. “Rena? Wanna go outside?”

“Yeah! Ou’side!” Serena yelled.

Luna opened up the doors and wheeled Noctis out into the garden, Serena and the dogs running after them. Serena giggled as she ran around on the grass, Umbra and Pryna barking at her. Luna wheeled Noctis over to a large patch of flowers and helped him out of the chair so he could sit by them. Luna picked one of the flowers and held it out to him.

“Do you know what this is called?” she asked. Noctis shook his head. “It’s a sylleblossom. Ravus and I, we make flower crowns out of them sometimes. Would you like me to show you how?”

“Okay. Can I make one for Serena?” Noctis asked.

“Of course,” Luna replied.

She showed him the best way to pick the sylleblossoms and how to thread them through each other. It was a little complicated but Noctis paid careful attention. Eventually, he’d made a small crown out of the flowers. He held it up and Luna clapped.

“You picked it up quickly!” she said.

“Thanks for teaching me,” Noctis replied. “Rena! Come look!”

Serena ran over, dogs following her. “Playing wih doggies!”

“Having fun?” Luna asked, letting Serena sit down on her lap.

“Yes! Fun wih doggies! There Pyna and Umba. Playing in the garden,” Serena said.

“Hey Serena,” Noctis said. He placed the crown on her head. “I made this for you.”

“A crown for a little princess!” Luna said.

“A hat!” Serena said, reaching up to touch the crown.

“No, a crown,” Noctis said.

“A hat!”

“A _crown._ ”

“Cown hat!”

Luna giggled.

* * *

 

Ravus was a big teenager and he didn’t always have time to spend with the ‘little kids’ as he put it. He was busy learning politics and military stuff, things that Noctis would have to learn when he was older. But then one day the adults insisted that he had to spend some time with them while they went and discussed something very important. Noctis thought it might have to do with him supposedly being the Chosen King.

No matter what it was about, Ravus was now stood awkwardly at the edge of the room. Serena was ‘drawing’ (attacking a piece of paper with a crayon). Noctis was trying to read a book. Luna was doing the same but actually reading. After a few minutes of this, Serena put down the crayon and walked over to Ravus. She tugged on his shirt to get his attention.

“Up,” she said, pointing at his shoulders.

“I… what does she want?” Ravus asked, looking at Noctis.

“ _Up_ ,” Serena repeated.

“I think she wants a piggyback or a ride on your shoulders or something,” Noctis said. “It’s what she says to Dad or Uncle Clarus when she wants one.”

“Up Rave!” Serena said.

Sighing, Ravus bent down and let her climb onto his back. She giggled and grabbed a hold of her legs. He started to run around the room, picking up speed as Serena laughed. It didn’t take too long before he was laughing too. Luna stopped reading and quickly ran to open the doors to the garden. Ravus ran out, still carrying Serena. Luna and Noctis followed shortly, racing behind them as Luna pushed Noctis in his wheelchair.

The two ‘teams’ chased each other around for a little while before it became clear that Serena was getting tired. Ravus carried her in and she fell asleep on Luna’s bed, Umbra and Pryna jumping up and curling next to her. Luna went back to reading. Noctis tried to but he couldn’t really get into it.

“Have you ever given her piggyback rides?” Ravus asked him suddenly.

“I’ve tried, before… this,” Noctis replied. “I miss being able to do stuff like that. Sitting in the chair gets boring.”

Ravus looked at him as if he was thinking about something.

“Tomorrow, I’ll ask Mother if I can take you fishing with me. I’ll teach you, give you something new to do,” he said.

“Really?” Noctis asked. Ravus nodded. “Thanks!”

* * *

 

A sleepy Serena curled up on Noctis’s lap, not really listening to Luna as she told a story. Noctis was listening though. It was a story from the Cosmogony, one that he had heard before. But Luna’s Cosmogony was illustrated and she seemed to _enjoy_ telling him the story, something the Scripture teachers in the Citadel hadn’t. They just seemed to be doing it because it was their job.

“The Crystal was gifted to mankind that we might know lasting prosperity,” Luna said.

“If the Crystal belongs to everyone, how come only Lucis gets to use it?” Noctis asked.

“The Kings of Lucis do not simply use the Crystal; they also protect it,” Luna replied.

Noctis frowned. “Wait, so our dad’s guarding it?”

“Yes.”

“I had no idea,” Noctis said, leaning back a little.

“Umba, Pyna,” Serena mumbled.

She put a hand on the Cosmogony. Noctis squinted a little and sure enough the Messenger dogs in the illustrations looked a lot like Umbra and Pryna. He looked up at Luna and she nodded before gesturing at the two dogs. The message was clear. They were the same dogs that were shown in the book. Noctis’s eyes widened. That meant they were thousands of years old!

“To crown the King of Light is the calling of the Crystal,” Luna said. “And keeping the Crystal safe until that day falls to the line of Lucis.”

“And I’m the Chosen?” Noctis said, echoing what the adults had told him and Luna.

Luna nodded. “Only the True King, anointed by the Crystal, can purge our star of its scourge.”

“You really think I can do that?” Noctis asked.

“As Oracle, I will see to it,” Luna replied. “To aid the King is the Oracle’s calling.”

“Then… I guess I can do it. I won’t let you down!” Noctis said.

“I know you won’t.”

Serena’s breathing had become deep and heavy and her eyes had shut. She was sleeping. Luna brushed a few black hairs away from her mouth.

“If I’m the Chosen, is Serena special?” Noctis asked.

“I don’t know,” Luna replied. “There has not been a second sibling in the Lucis Caelum line for as long as anyone can remember. That alone makes Serena unique. Whether or not you being the Chosen will affect her, we do not know.”

Noctis absentmindedly flicked through the pages of the Cosmogony. He tried to see if there was anything in this great prophecy that mentioned him having a sister and what would happen to her. It didn’t seem that fair that he was this awesome Chosen supposed to save the world and Serena wasn’t even mentioned in the prophecy.

“I think there will be fighting,” Luna said suddenly. “When you have to fulfil your calling.”

“How much fighting?” Noctis asked.

He got a head-shake as an answer. “I don’t know.”

“But we’ll win, right? Because we’re going to save the world.”

“Yes, Noctis, we’ll win. We have to.”

* * *

 

Noctis’s treatments were complete, finished that very morning. He was still in the wheelchair for the rest of the day, resting after the treatment, but from tomorrow onwards he wouldn’t need it any more. He’d be _free_. He’d be able to walk and run and give Serena piggybacks. It was gonna be _great_ to have his legs back again.

But getting better meant leaving Tenebrae. Noctis did want to go home but he’d miss Tenebrae. He’d miss Luna and Ravus, who had both become like older siblings to him. He’d miss Umbra and Pryna too. At least Luna had promised that they’d be able to stay in touch through the notebook. Noctis was already thinking of things that he could put in it.

On this, their penultimate day in Tenebrae, Queen Sylva was holding a party for all of the Lucians. There was supposedly a pretty set-up deep in the woods attached to the royal estate. Luna was wheeling Noctis and Serena there, Serena sitting on her brother’s lap like always. Umbra and Pryna were barking.

“Do they know it’s our last day here?” Noctis asked.

“Probably,” Luna replied.

“Umba and Pyna in the book,” Serena said.

“Yes, they were in the pictures in the book,” Luna replied. “Did you have fun looking at the book?”

“Yes!” Serena said.

“We’re gonna go have fun eating chocolate cake now,” Noctis said.

“Choc’ate cake! All mine.” This made Serena practically cackle with laughter. “All mine choc’ate cake.”

“Nope,” Luna said, reaching down to boop Serena’s nose. “You’ll have to share.”

“Share wih Luna,” Serena said.

“What about me?” Noctis asked, trying to get her to stop squirming so much.

“No!” Serena shouted before bursting into laughter.

Noctis pretended to pout. Serena hugged him.

“Share wih Noct,” she said.

“Thanks Rena,” Noctis replied.

Luna kept pushing them until they reached a large clearing. Noctis could see Dad, Queen Sylva, Ravus, and all the Lucian and Tenebraen guards. Noctis waved at his dad as Luna wheeled them closer. She stopped as a loud rumbling sound filled the clearing. Out of instinct, Noctis gripped Serena tightly. He looked up to see strange ships filling the sky.

“Lunafreya, take them to the emergency ship, _now_!” Queen Sylva suddenly yelled. “Ravus! Go with them!”

As Luna quickly turned the wheelchair around, the ships descended. Men in strange metal armour, looking like robots, fell from the sky. They picked themselves up and gunfire rang out across the clearing. Noctis could smell burning and he was trying not to think about the Marilith attack. Serena was screaming in his arms again, making it very hard not to think about it.

“MOTHER!”

Noctis looked up to see a man in strange silver armour pull a sword out of Queen Sylva’s chest. Ravus was lying behind her, clutching at his arm. Luna started screaming behind Noctis. He closed his eyes for a second. He opened them and looked wildly around for Dad.

“DAD!” he screamed.

“NOCTIS! SERENA!”

Dad came running to them. Noctis reached out with one arm, drawing back when Dad suddenly stumbled.

“General Glauca,” he hissed.

Dad suddenly summoned a large number of swords to push against the silver-armoured man, who had tried to attack them. The ring on Dad’s finger suddenly glowed and this General Glauca was thrown backwards through the air. Dad quickly turned back to them, scooping Noctis and Serena up with one arm and grabbing Luna with his free hand.

They ran. They ran so fast and all Noctis could see were people fighting and fires consuming the trees. Serena was screaming her lungs out from her position sandwiched between Noctis and Dad. It was terrifying. It was like the Marilith attack but not. Noctis watched in horror as armoured men began to run towards them. Luna looked back for a second. She closed her eyes, then did something that Noctis thought was incredibly stupid.

She let go of his dad’s hand.

“Lunafreya?” Dad asked.

He turned his head back for a second before continuing to run. Noctis beat at his shoulder.

“LUNA! LUNA! DAD TURN BACK!”

Luna stood still as the men ran past her, not shooting her, not harming her. It was like she expected them to do so. Noctis watched as they ran farther and farther away from her and the scenes of fighting blocked her from view. He cried into Dad’s shoulder as they ran. He kept crying as they finally reached the airship. He kept crying as they took off, Serena curled into a ball on his lap. Dad sat next to them and held them both.

“I’m sorry I left her,” he said, sounding like he was crying. “But I couldn’t risk the two of you. Not again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i posted this to counteract my friend's angst but i think that ending with the canon angst didn't help

**Author's Note:**

> BRING ON THE FLANGST


End file.
